Early congestion pricing data shows traffic dip into Manhattan, but 'mixed bag' inside zone
On Thursday it took drivers an average of eight minutes to cross the Williamsburg Bridge, down from 14 minutes on other recent Thursdays, according to a website tracking congestion pricing changes. Credit: Ed Quinn
The first week of congestion pricing brought a measurable dip in traffic on bridges and tunnels leading into Manhattan and an increase in transit ridership, but no significant improvement in speeds inside the zone subject to the new toll, according to officials and traffic researchers.
While drivers may be getting into Manhattan quicker, there’s little evidence of them moving much faster than usual once they arrive in the toll zone, said Bob Pishue of INRIX, a traffic data and analytic firm. He along with Gov. Kathy Hochul and MTA officials cautioned against drawing too many conclusions from early data.
In many cases, travel speeds in Manhattan during peak periods were slower than they were in the same period last year, according to the firm’s data. One example: cars driving along Broadway at 5 p.m. on Wednesday moved 12% slower than they did during a comparable day a year ago.
"Basically what we’re seeing is a mixed bag," Pishue said. "It does appear that some of the bridges and tunnels have been a little bit lighter heading into Manhattan. And then, below 60th, some roads are a bit faster, some are the same, and some are a bit slower."
MTA officials have acknowledged that much of the congestion inside Manhattan is caused by taxi cabs and for-hire vehicles, like Uber, and commercial trucks. Under congestion pricing, which launched Sunday, most vehicles traveling south of 60th Street are charged a $9 toll during peak hours. Trips made via for-hire vehicles charge riders a fee of $1.50 for app-based vehicles like Uber and 75 cents for taxicabs.
The MTA Central Business District Tolling Program went into effect at midnight Sunday following years of planning, debate and multiple legal challenges. Proponents say the new tolls will reduce traffic in one of the most congested areas in the world, improve air quality and generate funding for critical transit improvements. Opponents — including about three-quarters of Long Island voters, according to a 2023 poll — say the additional tolls will overburden working families, hurt businesses and drive people out of the state.
Pishue noted that the first full work week of January is typically "one of the lightest travel weeks of the year" and that other factors may also be in play, including the weather. He said it could take weeks or months for more meaningful data about the effects of congestion pricing to emerge.
Still, Benjamin Moshes, a Brown University student, who, along with his brother Joshua, have been closely monitoring traffic in and around Manhattan on their website, congestion-pricing-tracker.com, said it's "very, very likely" that some of the improved travel times that have been measured on bridges and tunnels leading into Manhattan are due to the new tolls.
As one example, on Thursday it took drivers an average of eight minutes to cross the Williamsburg Bridge, down from 14 minutes on other recent Thursdays. There have also been corresponding increases in traffic on some routes outside the toll zone, like the FDR Drive, that could be used as alternative routes for drivers looking to avoid pay, Moshes added.
"A 10-minute crossing has turned into a three or four-minute crossing," Benjamin Moshes said in an interview. "With every day, we’re becoming more confident that this is not like a fluke trend."
In a Thursday interview with Newsday, MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber confirmed that traffic on East River bridges and the Queens-Midtown Tunnel — routes commonly used by Long Island motorists driving into Manhattan — have been "down ... by a big amount."
"People are reporting much faster drive commutes," said Lieber. "People are talking about express buses, as well as personal automobiles, are having commutes that are, in many cases, a half-hour faster, because the speeds through the crossings seem to be really, really improved."
At the same time that there’s been evidence of fewer people driving into Manhattan, there are figures showing that more people are taking the train there. The 239,444 passengers carried by the Long Island Rail Road on Wednesday was up about 10% from the comparable Wednesday in January of last year, according to MTA data.
Gerard Bringmann, chairman of the LIRR Commuter Council, a rider advocacy group, said while he's also heard that trains seem to be "a little bit more crowded," he doesn't believe that can necessarily be attributed to congestion pricing.
"Everybody's back to work after the holidays now, so the trains are going to seem a little more crowded," Bringmann said. "I think we really need to get another week or two under our belts to see the effects of congestion pricing."
In an interview with WNYC public radio Friday morning, Lieber noted the New York City subway system has carried as many as 400,000 more riders per day this week as compared to last year. But, he also noted that ridership climbed steadily throughout 2024, as the region continued its post-COVID economic recovery.
Hochul, while riding the LIRR to a Westbury event Friday, said it is "far too early to draw conclusions" on the results of congestion pricing as commuters returned back to work for the first full week after the holidays.
With John Asbury
The first week of congestion pricing brought a measurable dip in traffic on bridges and tunnels leading into Manhattan and an increase in transit ridership, but no significant improvement in speeds inside the zone subject to the new toll, according to officials and traffic researchers.
While drivers may be getting into Manhattan quicker, there’s little evidence of them moving much faster than usual once they arrive in the toll zone, said Bob Pishue of INRIX, a traffic data and analytic firm. He along with Gov. Kathy Hochul and MTA officials cautioned against drawing too many conclusions from early data.
In many cases, travel speeds in Manhattan during peak periods were slower than they were in the same period last year, according to the firm’s data. One example: cars driving along Broadway at 5 p.m. on Wednesday moved 12% slower than they did during a comparable day a year ago.
"Basically what we’re seeing is a mixed bag," Pishue said. "It does appear that some of the bridges and tunnels have been a little bit lighter heading into Manhattan. And then, below 60th, some roads are a bit faster, some are the same, and some are a bit slower."
WHAT NEWSDAY FOUND
- Early data following Sunday's launch of congestion pricing in Manhattan showed a measurable increase in travel speeds at crossings into and out of Manhattan, but less of a difference inside the new toll zone below 60th Street, according to officials and data analysts.
- There's also been a measurable increase in transit ridership this week as compared to the same week last year, including on the LIRR. But the MTA's chief noted that ridership climbed steadily throughout 2024, even before congestion pricing.
- Gov. Kathy Hochul said it's "far too early" to draw conclusions about congestion pricing, especially considering other factors that could have affected travel in New York City, including the recent holidays and weather.
MTA officials have acknowledged that much of the congestion inside Manhattan is caused by taxi cabs and for-hire vehicles, like Uber, and commercial trucks. Under congestion pricing, which launched Sunday, most vehicles traveling south of 60th Street are charged a $9 toll during peak hours. Trips made via for-hire vehicles charge riders a fee of $1.50 for app-based vehicles like Uber and 75 cents for taxicabs.
The MTA Central Business District Tolling Program went into effect at midnight Sunday following years of planning, debate and multiple legal challenges. Proponents say the new tolls will reduce traffic in one of the most congested areas in the world, improve air quality and generate funding for critical transit improvements. Opponents — including about three-quarters of Long Island voters, according to a 2023 poll — say the additional tolls will overburden working families, hurt businesses and drive people out of the state.
Pishue noted that the first full work week of January is typically "one of the lightest travel weeks of the year" and that other factors may also be in play, including the weather. He said it could take weeks or months for more meaningful data about the effects of congestion pricing to emerge.
Still, Benjamin Moshes, a Brown University student, who, along with his brother Joshua, have been closely monitoring traffic in and around Manhattan on their website, congestion-pricing-tracker.com, said it's "very, very likely" that some of the improved travel times that have been measured on bridges and tunnels leading into Manhattan are due to the new tolls.
As one example, on Thursday it took drivers an average of eight minutes to cross the Williamsburg Bridge, down from 14 minutes on other recent Thursdays. There have also been corresponding increases in traffic on some routes outside the toll zone, like the FDR Drive, that could be used as alternative routes for drivers looking to avoid pay, Moshes added.
"A 10-minute crossing has turned into a three or four-minute crossing," Benjamin Moshes said in an interview. "With every day, we’re becoming more confident that this is not like a fluke trend."
In a Thursday interview with Newsday, MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber confirmed that traffic on East River bridges and the Queens-Midtown Tunnel — routes commonly used by Long Island motorists driving into Manhattan — have been "down ... by a big amount."
"People are reporting much faster drive commutes," said Lieber. "People are talking about express buses, as well as personal automobiles, are having commutes that are, in many cases, a half-hour faster, because the speeds through the crossings seem to be really, really improved."
At the same time that there’s been evidence of fewer people driving into Manhattan, there are figures showing that more people are taking the train there. The 239,444 passengers carried by the Long Island Rail Road on Wednesday was up about 10% from the comparable Wednesday in January of last year, according to MTA data.
Gerard Bringmann, chairman of the LIRR Commuter Council, a rider advocacy group, said while he's also heard that trains seem to be "a little bit more crowded," he doesn't believe that can necessarily be attributed to congestion pricing.
"Everybody's back to work after the holidays now, so the trains are going to seem a little more crowded," Bringmann said. "I think we really need to get another week or two under our belts to see the effects of congestion pricing."
In an interview with WNYC public radio Friday morning, Lieber noted the New York City subway system has carried as many as 400,000 more riders per day this week as compared to last year. But, he also noted that ridership climbed steadily throughout 2024, as the region continued its post-COVID economic recovery.
Hochul, while riding the LIRR to a Westbury event Friday, said it is "far too early to draw conclusions" on the results of congestion pricing as commuters returned back to work for the first full week after the holidays.
With John Asbury
Alfonso Castillo has been reporting for Newsday since 1999 and covering the transportation beat since 2008. He grew up in the Bronx and Queens and now lives in Valley Stream with his wife and two sons.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrated on Long Island ... Tributes in music and art ... Reading his works ... Inauguration Day
Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrated on Long Island ... Tributes in music and art ... Reading his works ... Inauguration Day
